One of the things that I thought about the runaway bride story is that it is not that uncommon. Some people feel extrememly stressed or hopeless in their circumstances and feel that this is the only way out without killing themselves. I've thought about running away some time, but haven't at least not for more than a few hours (I wouldn't count that.) How about other DUers? Have you ever run away as an adult? If you haven't, have you thought about it? Has the run away bride story made you change your mind? I don't mean to out anyone who has changed their identity and started a new life.

I once asked my mother - who raised five children, two dogs, and several litters of puppies - how she managed on some of the craziest days. She told me that most of the time she just went with the flow and didn't sweat the noise or the mess, but she also admitted that a couple of times she fantasized about "running away" and getting her own apartment.

I think in times of high stress, it's normal to fantasize about "running away" and having something to yourself - time, space, quiet, whatever - but that most people leave it at the fleeting fantasy and don't actually do anything about it.

I was deeply into my present marriage, five children, ages ranging from 14 down to 2 when we got married. We both worked full-time outside of the home.

One Mother's Day, the kids and my husband made my breakfast and I got around to opening presents.

After that, they all ran out to play, while my husband disappeared, leaving me with the dishes for SEVEN people in the sink. I called after them, but got the response, "Well, we MADE breakfast -- we shouldn't have to clean up!!!"

By that time it was about 11 AM. I went to the bedroom, packed a bag, got in the car, and drove to the local Howard Johnson's motel in the next New England town.

I checked in, drew a bath, put bubbles in it and soaked for an hour with the lights out. I stayed there for several hours, sleeping, eating and watching TV. I did just what I wanted to do for Mother's Day.

As I recall, I returned to the house either very late that night or perhaps it was the next day, and just resumed my duties as if nothing had happened.

of marriage, I got in my car and drove from Opa Locka, Florida to Hendersonville, North Carolina so I could get away from him.

The difference was: I took my two kids, ages 2 and 1, one of our cars, and enough Pampers (disposable diapers were just invented) to help me get through until the long drive was over. As soon as I got settled, I called him. To do anything else would have been more than painful; it would have been abusive.

After a few weeks in temporary housing, I got an apartment. I remember I had $80.00 in my pocket and a Phillips 66 gas charge card. It was August 1970 and I prayed that someone would be kind to me and give me a job. Luckily, one of the town merchants took pity on me and I went to work as a cashier in his local store. I put my children in day care, and tried to repair my marriage with long-distance calls to a psychologist.

Long story short -- came back to Florida in December 1970, gave it another shot for two months, but got divorced in 1971.

My children are now 35 and 36. They are fourteen months apart, live in different states, and are practicing different religions. Everyone is getting together here in Portland in June -- two children, spouses, and four grandkids. My ex-husband doesn't like me, but he gets along OK with the man I remarried in 1973. We must have done something right!

when my kids were teenagers..all 3 were teens at once. Hubby was working 7 days a week(forced overtime)with one weekend off a month, my mom was getting older and needed help and then my sister got sick, ended up in a coma and died. The two oldest kids were not following rules and there were many times where I just felt like saying "fuck it". On my drive to pick up my Mom, I used to fantasize about just driving by her house, keep on driving and never coming back..

No, there was no media coverage. White blonde girls disappear every day just like all other species of humanity, and it is not news. I don't know why the "runaway bride" got so much media coverage. Law enforcement is not supposed to look for adults, unless they have committed some crime (or are clearly victims of a crime) and even then they are not going to be worried about hunting down females who are, after all, unlikely to be committing mayhem and murder. I presume the "runaway bride" family must be very rich or else connected to someone very influential. The police just don't hunt you down every time you get cold feet about a wedding. Sheesh. How many males would be in jail now if they did?

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communistsand other subversives. We intend to clean them out,even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country. --John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

A close friend gave me long ago it to read after he read it himself; I read it and more than a little bit of Jay's story and how he acted to it mirrored my own. Made me understand myself better in the long run, I guess.

Especially in grad school, I thought about getting in my car and just driving away. Leaving my wife and husbands and daughter and debts and responsibilities and sadness and anger and frustration way behind me - just barely visible in my rearview mirror

The gas would run out, the car would break down and I'd live in the desert as a hermit eating snakes and insects and writing good poetry no one ever read and doing bad art that no one ever saw. And eventually when I was very old, really cool kids would see me as their shaman or guru and come visit me. And I'd tell them inexcplicable and often stupid things and they would think I was wise and they'd become really cool adults

And eventually I would die, out there in the desert, alone and unmourned but certainly remembered...

but when my children were young and being married was more lonely than being alone, I would often drive off with a good book and just find a place to park and read. I can't really recall anyone asking me where I'd been.

I was working my first job in Utah at the time. I took a week off and went back "home" for his wedding. He spent most of the week running around drinking with his friends. He told me later that he was thinking about asking if he could goto Utah with me instead of getting married. I probably would have tried to talk him out of it.He is still married, with two kids, but it seems to have been a mixed blessing.I also felt like he never had a chance to live on his own. He went from being at home to being married. Obviously the latter is alot more work, but alot of the difficulties are also faced by single people, paying bills, cooking your own meals, etc. He never got to compare being an adult on his own to the adult married life.

Two months before I was supposed to get married. I ran off (planned it out for two weeks) and I did not go back. After a few days, I let everyone but him know where I went to. I went out and got a restraining order against him (abuser).

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